Heart Care

After Heart Attack, Quit Smoking to Live Longer

A new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology suggests that it's never too late to quit smoking. Even after a heart attack, quitting can boost your long-term survival odds compared to those who don't quit.

Researchers followed more than 1,500 first-time heart attack survivors for 13 years. On average, the survivors were 54 years old when they had their heart attack. They were asked about their smoking habits just after the heart attack and four more times throughout the study.

Most smokers tried to quit after their heart attack, and 35 percent were able to stay smoke-free over the next 10 to 13 years.

Quitters More Likely to Survive

Compared with patients who continued to smoke after their heart attack, those who quit were 37 percent less likely to die during the study period. Those who had never smoked had a 43 percent lower risk.

Even those who only cut back on smoking saw a decrease in risk. Their risk declined 11 percent for every five fewer cigarettes smoked per day.

Factors like obesity, exercise habits, and overall health were accounted for in the analyses.

The Many Benefits of Quitting

The benefits of quitting smoking can be seen right away. They include:

Improved circulation and blood pressure

Better sense of smell and taste

Easier breathing

Long-term benefits include living longer and having lower risk for heart disease and cancer.

Always consult your physician for more information.

Online Resources

(Our Organization is not responsible for the content of Internet sites.)

Look for support programs. Contact the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345 for information about support programs near you. You can also speak with a trained counselor over the phone. Call 1-800-QUITNOW (1-800-784-8669) for information about quitting smoking in your state. The National Cancer Institute offers help via real-time text messaging at their Web site.

Do your homework. Many materials are available to help you prepare to quit, deal with cravings, and stay on course for good. Check out the American Cancer Society's Break Away From the Pack series. Call 1-800-227-2345 for this or other self-help materials from the American Cancer Society. Smokefree.gov is another great resource for information, tools, and expert help.